Aging, Gracefully Today is my birthday. I was originally due the end of September but, as my mother tells me, I was born pre-mature, 8 months. My mother should know, first time and “Bing,” cake was in the oven! Of course, my mother says she was not even expecting me, nor did she expect she would ever be pregnant...her first time. Mom’s “first time,” she says, she and my dad did not have intercourse/ penetration so my mother and my father (who pressured my mom) assumed everything would be okay. No one would suspect they were in the back of the barn “genitalia kissing.” One of the programs I manage, a pregnancy prevention program provides sexual health education to middle and high school students. I shared my story with a group of high school students and many of them laughed, “Your mom and dad didn’t have sex but she got pregnant?” They did not believe my story. Ahh, sex education is not efficiently taught in schools today. In fact, many parents are not well equipped to talk to their...

Challenges Change Us A week ago I met with staff in one of the programs under my management (portfolio) to discuss changes that would take place in this fiscal year.   These changes would be a challenge for them because it means tracking additional services that required by our funding agency.   The contract for this program was just renewed for another three year period and provides comprehensive services to victim survivors of crime; including intimate partner violence and sexual assault.   Additional services were added to ensure that our participants would get the best services possible to meet their needs in order to “enhance their quality of life.”   One person on my staff is already challenged; time management is a major issue and focusing on tasks at hand is another.   This person is not able to keep up with “changes” in program deliverables or meet deadlines.   Micro managing is not my style of supervision but, in this case, I have to “change...

One True Vineyard I don't know what Bible or which translations or versions "Christians" are reading these days (too many to count) but what I read is, Christians, followers of Jesus Christ should be of the same mind as Christ (Philippians 2).   Jesus also said the Ten Commandments are wrapped up in just two, the greatest being love for God with your whole being and the second to love others as yourself in response to a lawyer’s question (Matthew 22:35-40).   Paul (Saul of Tarsus) even added if we do not have love for others, what we do and say (as followers reflecting Christ) would be useless, would mean nothing (1 Corinthians 13). There are those who identify as "Christians," “Disciples,” “Saints” or “Witnesses” that might not believe as I do or interpret the Bible as I read it but, one thing is clear, LOVE for our neighbors, praying and doing good for them is what I read (Micah 6:8).   Jesus condemned no one; hated no one but condemned the contradic...